Internal And External Factors at AAM - 1189 Words

AAM Internal/External Factors American Axle Manufacturing (AAM) was formed in 1994. AAM is one of North Americas leading providers of drive train components for the SUV market. AAM is the largest provider of Driveline systems in the United States. AAM has five manufacturing plants in the United States as well as other plants located in Mexico, Brazil, and Scotland. AAM also has offices in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. As a company of this size, corporate planning is a vital function to deal with external and internal factors, in which, the companys goals or objectives are achieved. In addition, a well-defined strategic planning implemented will be the guidelines in dealing with each factor, such as, globalization, innovation, and†¦show more content†¦Americans have been ideologically averse to government involvement in their lives, especially in the world of commerce. The domain of private enterprise. The theory was that firms competed against other firms in open markets. The Japanese and other cultures have shown that this view of the world was not only unrealistic, but also a handicap. There are many firms cooperating with one another and with the government that have emerged to become fierce competitors. Globalization has clearly enriched the rich in the industrial worlds of Asia, Europe, and North America. At the same time, it has widened the gap between rich and poor both within and among countries. AAM started to be globally competitive in 1996, when the plant in Guanajaunto, Mexico was built. AAM had the vision that to be globally competitive, companies must develop business opportunities within the country they choose to do business within. AAM has gone on to build plants in Europe and Brazil. Although some external factors are uncontrollable, innovation is controllable. Todays ultra-competitive automotive marketplace demands superior product, process and systems technology. It requires people with in-depth technical know-how and a spirit of innovation. The results areShow MoreRelatedEgypt Economy11120 Words   |  45 Pagesto the country but declined greatly the following year. Many workers who worked abroad and sent money back home suffered as well as jobs in the Gulf Coast were cut backed or shutdown. Also, the large gap between the rich and poor is also a major factor in there high inflation rate CHAPTER –II INTRODUCTION TO MICROPROCESSORS AND MICROCOMPUTERS MICROPROCESSOR †¢ A Microprocessor is a multipurpose, Programmable clock-driven, register based electronic device that read binaryRead MoreEgypt Economy11108 Words   |  45 Pagesto the country but declined greatly the following year. Many workers who worked abroad and sent money back home suffered as well as jobs in the Gulf Coast were cut backed or shutdown. Also, the large gap between the rich and poor is also a major factor in there high inflation rate CHAPTER –II INTRODUCTION TO MICROPROCESSORS AND MICROCOMPUTERS MICROPROCESSOR †¢ A Microprocessor is a multipurpose, Programmable clock-driven, register based electronicRead MoreBvcvv56336 Words   |  226 Pagesswitch a large proportion of the assets from equities to bonds. (i) (ii) Outline the investment characteristics of bonds compared to equities. [5] Outline the possible impact on the members benefits of the proposed switch to bonds. [2] Set out the factors the trustees should consider when deciding which bonds to invest in. [3] Set out the other issues the trustees should take into account when setting an overall investment objective and making decisions on asset allocation. [3] [Total 13] (iii) Read MoreComment on How Changes in Macro and Market Environment Forces Impact on the Level of Competition in an Industry.18606 Words   |  75 Pagesdeterrent through both the severity of the ï ¬ nes imposed and the bad publicity that results. Market dominance has also been successfully challenged, as when Italian cigarette producer and distributor AAMS was found to be abusing its dominant position for the wholesale distribution of cigarettes in Italy. AAMS was protecting its own sales by imposing restrictive distribution contracts on foreign manufacturers, which limited the access of foreign cigarettes to the Italian market.4 However, the most high-proï ¬ leRead MoreInstructor Manual37126 Words   |  149 PagesPurchasing and Logistics fields. Supply chain management focuses on the flows of material through the network all the way from fourth and third tier supplies all the way out to the final customer. Supply chain management seems to place less emphasis on â€Å"internal† factory operations which has traditionally been a core operations management focus (i.e. MRP and scheduling). Traditional operations management focuses on coordination from first tier suppliers, through the factory, and out to the warehouse. Read More1000 Word Essay85965 Words   |  344 Pagesterm ethnic group. A segment of the population that possesses common characteristics and a cultural heritage based to some degree on: faith or faiths; shared traditions, values or symbols;literature, folklore, or music; an internal sense of distinctiveness; and/or an external perception of distinctiveness. (AR 600-20 June 2006 /Terms / PDF 126) Define the term racism. Any attitude or action of a person or institutional structure that subordinates aperson or group because of skin color or race

Second Foundation 2. Two Men without the Mule Free Essays

string(35) " start from Trantor as zero point\." The ship was in near-readiness. Nothing lacked, but the destination. The Mule had suggested a return to Trantor – the world that was the bulk of an incomparable Galactic metropolis of the hugest Empire mankind had ever known – the dead world that had been capital of all the stars. We will write a custom essay sample on Second Foundation 2. Two Men without the Mule or any similar topic only for you Order Now Pritcher disapproved. It was an old path – sucked dry. He found Bail Channis in the ship’s navigation room. The young man’s curly hair was just sufficiently disheveled to allow a single curl to droop over the forehead – as if it had been carefully placed there – and even teeth showed in a smile that matched it. Vaguely, the stiff officer felt himself harden against the other. Channis’ excitement was evident, â€Å"Pritcher, it’s too far a coincidence.† The general said coldly: â€Å"I’m not aware of the subject of conversation.† â€Å"Oh- Well, then drag up a chair, old man, and let’s get into it. I’ve been going over your notes. I find them excellent.† â€Å"How†¦ pleasant that you do.† â€Å"But I’m wondering if you’ve come to the conclusions I have. Have you ever tried analyzing the problem deductively? I mean, it’s all very well to comb the stars at random, and to have done all you did in five expeditions is quite a bit of star-hopping. That’s obvious. But have you calculated how long it would take to go through every known world at this rate?† â€Å"Yes. Several times,† Pritcher felt no urge to meet the young man halfway, but there was the importance of filching the other’s mind – the other’s uncontrolled, and hence, unpredictable, mind. â€Å"Well, then, suppose we’re analytical about it and try to decide just what we’re looking for?† â€Å"The Second Foundation,† said Pritcher, grimly. â€Å"A Foundation of psychologists,† corrected Channis, â€Å"who are as weak in physical science as the First Foundation was weak in psychology. Well, you’re from the First Foundation, which I’m not. The implications are probably obvious to you. We must find a world which rules by virtue of mental skills, and yet which is very backwards scientifically.† â€Å"Is that necessarily so?† questioned Pritcher, quietly. â€Å"Our own ‘Union of Worlds’ isn’t backwards scientifically, even though our ruler owes his strength to his mental powers.† â€Å"Because he has the skills of the First Foundation to draw upon,† came the slightly impatient answer, â€Å"and that is the only such reservoir of knowledge in the Galaxy. The Second Foundation must live among the dry crumbs of the broken Galactic Empire. There are no pickings there.† â€Å"So then you postulate mental power sufficient to establish their rule over a group of worlds and physical helplessness as well?† â€Å"Comparative physical helplessness. Against the decadent neighboring areas, they are competent to defend themselves. Against the resurgent forces of the Mule, with his background of a mature atomic economy, they cannot stand. Else, why is their location so well-hidden, both at the start by the founder, Hari Seldon, and now by themselves. Your own First Foundation made no secret of its existence and did not have it made for them, when they were an undefended single city on a lonely planet three hundred years ago.† The smooth lines of Pritcher’s dark face twitched sardonically. ‘And now that you’ve finished your deep analysis, would you like a list of all the kingdoms, republics, planet states and dictatorships of one sort or another in that political wilderness out there that correspond to your description and to several factors besides?† â€Å"All this has been considered then?† Channis lost none of his brashness. â€Å"You won’t find it here, naturally, but we have a completely worked out guide to the political units of the Opposing Periphery. Really, did you suppose the Mule would work entirely hit-and-miss?† â€Å"Well, then† and the young man’s voice rose in a burst of energy, â€Å"what of the Oligarchy of Tazenda?† Pritcher touched his ear thoughtfully, â€Å"Tazenda? Oh, I think I know it. They’re not in the Periphery, are they? It seems to me they’re fully a third of the way towards the center of the Galaxy.† â€Å"Yes. What of that?† â€Å"The records we have place the Second Foundation at the other end of the Galaxy. Space knows it’s the only thing we have to go on. Why talk of Tazenda anyway? Its angular deviation from the First Foundation radian is only about one hundred ten to one hundred twenty degrees anyway. Nowhere near one hundred eighty.† â€Å"There’s another point in the records. The Second Foundation was established at ‘Star’s End.'† â€Å"No such region in the Galaxy has ever been located.† â€Å"Because it was a local name, suppressed later for greater secrecy. Or maybe one invented for the purpose by Seldon and his group. Yet there’s some relationship between ‘Star’s End’ and ‘Tazenda,’ don’t you think?† â€Å"A vague similarity in sound? Insufficient.† ‘Have you ever been there?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Yet it is mentioned in your records.† â€Å"Where? Oh, yes, but that was merely to take on food and water. There was certainly nothing remarkable about the world.† â€Å"Did you land at the ruling planet? The center of government?† â€Å"I couldn’t possibly say.† Channis brooded about it under the other’s cold gaze. Then, â€Å"Would you look at the Lens with me for a moment?† â€Å"Certainly.† The Lens was perhaps the newest feature of the interstellar cruisers of the day. Actually, it was a complicated calculating machine which could throw on a screen a reproduction of the night sky as seen from any given point of the Galaxy. Channis adjusted the co-ordinate points and the wall lights of the pilot room were extinguished. In the dim red light at the control board of the Lens, Channis’ face glowed ruddily. Pritcher sat in the pilot seat, long legs crossed, face lost in the gloom. Slowly, as the induction period passed, the points of light brightened on the screen. And then they were thick and bright with the generously populated star-groupings of the Galaxy’s center. â€Å"This,† explained Channis, â€Å"is the winter night-sky as seen from Trantor. That is the important point that, as far as I know, has been neglected so far in your search. All intelligent orientation must start from Trantor as zero point. You read "Second Foundation 2. Two Men without the Mule" in category "Essay examples" Trantor was the capital of the Galactic Empire. Even more so scientifically and culturally, than politically. And, therefore, the significance of any descriptive name should stem, nine times out of ten, from a Trantorian orientation. You’ll remember in this connection that, although Seldon was from Helicon, towards the Periphery, his group worked on Trantor itself.† â€Å"What is it you’re trying to show me?† Pritcher’s level voice plunged icily into the gathering enthusiasm of the other. â€Å"The map will explain it. Do you see the dark nebula?† The shadow of his arm fell upon the screen, which took on the bespanglement of the Galaxy. The pointing finger ended on a tiny patch of black that seemed a hole in the speckled fabric of light. â€Å"The stellagraphical records call it Pelot’s Nebula. Watch it. I’m going to expand the image.† Pritcher had watched the phenomenon of Lens Image expansion before but he still caught his breath. It was like being at the visiplate of a spaceship storming through a horribly crowded Galaxy without entering hyperspace. The stars diverged towards them from a common center, flared outwards and tumbled off the edge of the screen. Single points became double, then globular. Hazy patches dissolved into myriad points. And always that illusion of motion. Channis spoke through it all, â€Å"You’ll notice that we are moving along the direct line from Trantor to Pelot’s Nebula, so that in effect we are still looking at a stellar orientation equivalent to that of Trantor. There is probably a slight error because of the gravitic deviation of light that I haven’t the math to calculate for, but I’m sure it can’t be significant.† The darkness was spreading over the screen. As the rate of magnification slowed, the stars slipped off the four ends of the screen in a regretful leave-taking. At the rims of the growing nebula, the brilliant universe of stars shone abruptly in token for that light which was merely hidden behind the swirling unradiating atom fragments of sodium and calcium that filled cubic parsecs of space. And Channis pointed again, â€Å"This has been called ‘The Mouth’ by the inhabitants of that region of space. And that is significant because it is only from the Trantorian orientation that it looks like a mouth.† What he indicated was a rift in the body of the Nebula, shaped like a ragged, grinning mouth in profile, outlined by the glazing glory of the starlight with which it was filled. â€Å"Follow ‘The Mouth.’ † said Channis. â€Å"Follow ‘The Mouth’ towards the gullet as it narrows down to a thin, splintering line of light. Again the screen expanded a trifle, until the Nebula stretched away from â€Å"The Mouth† to block off all the screen but that narrow trickle and Channis’ finger silently followed it down, to where it straggled to a halt, and then, as his finger continued moving onward, to a spot where one single star sparked lonesomely; and there his finger halted, for beyond that was blackness, unrelieved. â€Å"‘Star’s End,'† said the young man, simply. â€Å"The fabric of the Nebula is thin there and the light of that one star finds its way through in just that one direction – to shine on Trantor.† â€Å"You’re tying to tell me that-† the voice of the Mule’s general died in suspicion. â€Å"I’m not trying. That is Tazenda – Star’s End.† The lights went on. The Lens flicked off. Pritcher reached Channis in three long strides, â€Å"What made you think of this?† And Channis leaned back in his chair with a queerly puzzled expression on his face. â€Å"It was accidental. I’d like to take intellectual credit for this, but it was only accidental. In any case, however it happens, it fits. According to our references, Tazenda is an oligarchy. It rules twenty-seven inhabited planets. It is not advanced scientifically. And most of all, it is an obscure world that has adhered to a strict neutrality in the local politics of that stellar region, and is not expansionist. I think we ought to see it.† â€Å"Have you informed the Mule of this?† â€Å"No. Nor shall we. We’re in space now, about to make the first hop.† Pritcher, in sudden horror, sprang to the visiplate. Cold space met his eyes when he adjusted it. He gazed fixedly at the view, then turned. Automatically, his hand reached for the hard, comfortable curve of the butt of his blaster. â€Å"By whose order?† â€Å"By my order, general†- it was the first time Channis had ever used the other’s title -â€Å"while I was engaging you here. You probably felt no acceleration, because it came at the moment I was expanding the field of the Lens and you undoubtedly imagined it to be an illusion of the apparent star motion.† â€Å"Why? Just what are you doing? What was the point of your nonsense about Tazenda, then?† â€Å"That was no nonsense. I was completely serious. We’re going there. We left today because we were scheduled to leave three days from now. General, you don’t believe there is a Second Foundation, and I do. You are merely following the Mule’s orders without faith; I recognize a serious danger. The Second Foundation has now had five years to prepare. How they’ve prepared, I don’t know, but what if they have agents on Kalgan. If I carry about in my mind the knowledge of the whereabouts of the Second Foundation, they may discover that. My life might be no longer safe, and I have a great affection for my life. Even on a thin and remote possibility such as that, I would rather play safe. So no one knows of Tazenda but you, and you found out only after we were out in space. And even so, there is the question of the crew.† Channis was smiling again, ironically, in obviously complete control of the situation. Pritcher’s hand fell away from his blaster, and for a moment a vague discomfort pierced him. What kept him from action? What deadened him? There was a time when he was a rebellious and unpromoted captain of the First Foundation’s commercial empire, when it would have been himself rather than Channis who would have taken prompt and daring action such as that. Was the Mule right? Was his controlled mind so concerned with obedience as to lose initiative? He felt a thickening despondency drive him down into a strange lassitude. He said, â€Å"Well done! However, you will consult me in the future before making decisions of this nature.† The flickering signal caught his attention. â€Å"That’s the engine room,† said Channis, casually. â€Å"They warmed up on five minutes’ notice and I asked them to let me know if there was any trouble. Want to hold the fort?† Pritcher nodded mutely, and cogitated in the sudden loneliness on the evils of approaching fifty. The visiplate was sparsely starred. The main body of the Galaxy misted one end. What if he were free of the Mule’s influence- But he recoiled in horror at the thought. *** Chief Engineer Huxlani looked sharply at the young, ununiformed man who carried himself with the assurance of a Fleet officer and seemed to be in a position of authority. Huxlani, as a regular Fleet man from the days his chin had dripped milk, generally confused authority with specific insignia. But the Mule had appointed this man, and the Mule was, of course, the last word. The only word for that matter. Not even subconsciously did he question that. Emotional control went deep. He handed Channis the little oval object without a word. Channis hefted it, and smiled engagingly. â€Å"You’re a Foundation man, aren’t you, chief?† â€Å"Yes, sir. I served in the Foundation Fleet eighteen years before the First Citizen took over.† â€Å"Foundation training in engineering?† â€Å"Qualified Technician, First Class – Central School on Anacreon.† â€Å"Good enough. And you found this on the communication circuit, where I asked you to look?† â€Å"Yes, Sir.† â€Å"Does it belong there?† â€Å"No, Sir.† â€Å"Then what is it?† â€Å"A hypertracer, sir.† â€Å"That’s not enough. I’m not a Foundation man. What is it?† â€Å"It’s a device to allow the ship to be traced through hyperspace.† â€Å"In other words we can be followed anywhere.† â€Å"Yes, Sir.† â€Å"All right. It’s a recent invention, isn’t it? It was developed by one of the Research Institutes set up by the First Citizen, wasn’t it?† â€Å"I believe so, Sir.† â€Å"And its workings are a government secret. Right?† â€Å"I, believe so, Sir.† â€Å"Yet here it is. Intriguing.† Channis tossed the hypertracer methodically from hand to hand for a few seconds. Then, sharply, he held it out, â€Å"Take it, then, and put it back exactly where you found it and exactly how you found it. Understand? And then forget this incident. Entirely!† The chief choked down his near-automatic salute, turned sharply and left. The ship bounded through the Galaxy, its path a wide-spaced dotted line through the stars. The dots, referred to, were the scant stretches of ten to sixty light-seconds spent in normal space and between them stretched the hundred-and-up light-year gaps that represented the â€Å"hops† through hyperspace. Bail Channis sat at the control panel of the Lens and felt again the involuntary surge of near-worship at the contemplation of it. He was not a Foundation man and the interplay of forces at the twist of a knob or the breaking of a contact was not second nature to him. Not that the Lens ought quite to bore even a Foundation man. Within its unbelievably compact body were enough electronic circuits to pin-point accurately a hundred million separate stars in exact relationship to each other. And as if that were not a feat in itself, it was further capable of translating any given portion of the Galactic Field along any of the three spatial axes or to rotate any portion of the Field about a center. It was because of that, that the Lens had performed a near-revolution in interstellar travel. In the younger days of interstellar travel, the calculation of each â€Å"hop† through hyperspace meant any amount of work from a day to a week – and the larger portion of such work was the more or less precise calculation of â€Å"Ship’s Position† on the Galactic scale of reference. Essentially that meant the accurate observation of at least three widely-spaced stars, the position of which, with reference to the arbitrary Galactic triple-zero, were known. And it is the word â€Å"known,† that is the catch. To any who know the star field well from one certain reference point, stars are as individual as people. Jump ten parsecs, however, and not even your own sun is recognizable. It may not even be visible. The answer was, of course, spectroscopic analysis. For centuries, the main object of interstellar engineering was the analysis of the â€Å"light signature† of more and more stars in greater and greater detail. With this, and the growing precision of the â€Å"hop† itself, standard routes of travel through the Galaxy were adopted and interstellar travel became less of an art and more of a science. And yet, even under the Foundation with improved calculating machines and a new method of mechanically scanning the star field for a known â€Å"light signature,† it sometimes took days to locate three stars and then calculate position in regions not previously familiar to the pilot. It was the Lens that changed all that. For one thing it required only a single known star. For another, even a space tyro such as Channis could operate it. The nearest sizable star at the moment was Vincetori, according to â€Å"hop† calculations, and on the visiplate now, a bright star was centered. Channis hoped that it was Vincetori. The field screen of the Lens was thrown directly next that of the visiplate and with careful fingers, Channis punched out the co-ordinates of Vincetori. He closed a relay, and the star field sprang to bright view. In it, too, a bright star was centered, but otherwise there seemed no relationship. He adjusted the Lens along the Z-Axis and expanded the Field to where the photometer showed both centered stars to be of equal brightness. Channis looked for a second star, sizably bright, on the visiplate and found one on the field screen to correspond. Slowly, he rotated the screen to similar angular deflection. He twisted his mouth and rejected the result with a grimace. Again he rotated and another bright star was brought into position, and a third. And then he grinned. That did it. Perhaps a specialist with trained relationship perception might have clicked first try, but he’d settle for three. That was the adjustment. In the final step, the two fields overlapped and merged into a sea of not-quite-rightness. Most of the stars were close doubles. But the fine adjustment did not take long. The double stars melted together, one field remained, and the â€Å"Ship’s Position† could now be read directly off the dials. The entire procedure had taken less than half an hour. Channis found Han Pritcher in his private quarters. The general was quite apparently preparing for bed. He looked up. â€Å"News?† â€Å"Not particularly. We’ll be at Tazenda in another hop.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"I don’t want to bother you if you’re turning in, but have you looked through the film we picked up in Cil?† Han Pritcher cast a disparaging look at the article in question, where it lay in its black case upon his low bookshelf, â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And what do you think?† â€Å"I think that if there was ever any science to History, it has been quite lost in this region of the Galaxy.† Channis grinned broadly, â€Å"I know what you mean. Rather barren, isn’t it?† â€Å"Not if you enjoy personal chronicles of rulers. Probably unreachable, I should say, in both directions. Where history concerns mainly personalities, the drawings become either black or white according to the interests of the writer. I find it all remarkably useless.† â€Å"But there is talk about Tazenda. That’s the point I tried to make when I gave you the film. It’s the only one I could find that even mentioned them.† â€Å"All right. They have good rulers and bad. They’ve conquered a few planets, won some battles, lost a few. There is nothing distinctive about them. I don’t think much of your theory, Channis.† â€Å"But you’ve missed a few points. Didn’t you notice that they never formed coalitions? They always remained completely outside the politics of this corner of the star swarm. As you say, they conquered a few planets, but then they stopped – and that without any startling defeat of consequence. It’s just as if they spread out enough to protect themselves, but not enough to attract attention.† â€Å"Very well,† came the unemotional response. â€Å"I have no objection to landing. At the worst – a little lost time.† â€Å"Oh, no. At the worst – complete defeat. If it is the Second Foundation. Remember it would be a world of space-knows-how-many Mules.† â€Å"What do you plan to do?† â€Å"Land on some minor subject planet. Find out as much as we can about Tazenda first, then improvise from that.† â€Å"All right. No objection. If you don’t mind now, I would like the light out.† Channis left with a wave of his hand. And in the darkness of a tiny room in an island of driving metal lost in the vastness of space, General Han Pritcher remained awake, following the thoughts that led him through such fantastic reaches. If everything he had so painfully decided were true – and how all the facts were beginning to fit – then Tazenda was the Second Foundation. There was no way out. But how? How? Could it be Tazenda? An ordinary world? One without distinction? A slum lost amid the wreckage of an Empire? A splinter among the fragments? He remembered, as from a distance, the Mule’s shriveled face and his thin voice as he used to speak of the old Foundation psychologist, Ebling Mis, the one man who had – maybe – learned the secret of the Second Foundation. Pritcher recalled the tension of the Mule’s words: â€Å"It was as if astonishment had overwhelmed Mis. It was as though something about the Second Foundation had surpassed all his expectations, had driven in a direction completely different from what he might have assumed. If I could only have read his thoughts rather than his emotions. Yet the emotions were plain – and above everything else was this vast surprise.† Surprise was the keynote. Something supremely astonishing! And now came this boy, this grinning youngster, glibly joyful about Tazenda and its undistinguished subnormality. And he had to be right. He had to. Otherwise, nothing made sense. Pritcher’s last conscious thought had a touch of grimness. That hypertracer along the Etheric tube was still there. He had checked it one hour back, with Channis well out of the way. Second Interlude It was a casual meeting in the anteroom of the Council Chamber – just a few moments before passing into the Chamber to take up the business of the day – and the few thoughts flashed back and forth quickly. â€Å"So the Mule is on his way.† â€Å"That’s what I hear, too. Risky! Mighty risky!† â€Å"Not if affairs adhere to the functions set up.† â€Å"The Mule is not an ordinary man – and it is difficult to manipulate his chosen instruments without detection by him. The controlled minds are difficult to touch. They say he’s caught on to a few cases.† â€Å"Yes, I don’t see how that can be avoided.† â€Å"Uncontrolled minds are easier. But so few are in positions of authority under him-â€Å" They entered the Chamber. Others of the Second Foundation followed them. How to cite Second Foundation 2. Two Men without the Mule, Essay examples

Such An Issue Stirs Up Moral And Religious Beliefs; Essays

Such an issue stirs up moral and religious beliefs; beliefs that are contrary to what America should "believe". However, such a debate has been apparent in the American marketplace of ideas before with the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920's. With the illegality of alcohol the mafia could produce liquor and therefore had considerable control over those who wanted their substance and service. The role that the mafia played in the 1920's has transformed into the corner drug dealers and drug cartel of the 1990's. The justification that legalized alcohol under Amendment 21 in 1933 should also legalize drugs in 1996. With the legalization of drugs a decrease in deaths related to drug deals would occur and also the price would lessen because bigger businesses could produce drugs at a cheaper price. Thus, reducing crimes that are committed to support a drug habit. Another drug that has played a major role in American society is nicotine. For hundreds of years, cigarettes have been a popular legal drug within the United States. Only through legalization and education has the popularity and the use of cigarettes declined within the past ten years. Physically, the actual consequences of using illicit drugs is much less than of using drugs like alcohol or cigarettes and the consequences will be diminished. Illicit drugs can and will be made safer than they are in the present system. In making comparisons, the best is to look at how countries are functioning that have less enforcement on drugs and what the statistics were after drugs were decriminalized. Within the last thirty years many groups have their attempts. The use of drugs is a victimless crime much like homosexuality. Homosexuals have fought for a great deal of freedom that is based on their basic human rights; the right to make decisions and act freely based on what is protected under the Constitution, so long as anyone else is not affected. Economically, the production of drugs in the United States would benefit the financial well being of the American government and people. Taxes should immediately be placed on drugs thus resulting in a significant increase in government income. The more money that government receives is more money that they can put towards the education of how drugs effect the human mind and body. Prohibition breeds disrespect for law?enforcement; the agency that "should" hold the highest respect of the American society. Money spent on prohibition is an overwhelming figure that is not needed and is obviously accomplishing little. Those who want to be controlled by a substance should have every right to do so, because this right has equal jurisdiction as any other human right that has emerged from the sea of oppression and persecuted freedoms. The deaths resulting in the acquiring of alcohol have all but disappeared. When all non?medical dealings in alcohol were prohibited in the United States in 1919, the results were very similar to today's drug trade. Alcohol quality was brewed illicitly; importers were considered criminals and behaved as such; protection rackets, bribes and gang warfare organized crime in the United States. (Boaz, p.118) The enforcement budget rose from $7 million in 1921 to $15 million in 1930, $108 million in 1988 dollars. In 1926, the Senate Judiciary Committee produced a 1,650-page report evaluating enforcement efforts and proposing reforms. In 1927, the Bureau of Prohibition was created to streamline enforcement efforts, and agents were brought under civil service protection to eliminate corruption and improve professionalism. In that same year, President Hoover appointed a blue-ribbon commission to evaluate enforcement efforts and recommend reforms. Three years later Prohibition was over and alcohol was legalized.(Boaz, pps.49?50) Immediately, the bootlegger stopped running around the streets supplying illicit contraband. People stopped worrying about drunks mugging them in the streets or breaking into their apartments to get funds to buy a pint of wine. We now deal with alcohol abuse as a medical problem. Let us deal with the drug problem in the same way. Let us try not to repeat the mistakes of the past by continuing to escalate a war that is totally unnecessary.(Boaz, p.120) The repeal of alcohol prohibition provides the perfect analogy. Repeal did not end alcoholismas indeed Prohibition did not--but it did solve many of the problems created by Prohibition, such as corruption, murder, and poisoned alcohol.(Boaz, p.50) We can expect no more and no less from drug legalization today. United States has not tried to ban the use of tobacco on cigarette smoking is one of America's most dangerous drug habits. Nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco, is exceedingly poisonous. When isolated and taken orally, it can bring death in a matter of minutes. Cigarette tobacco contains about 1.5 percent

Choosing the Sex of Your Baby Essays

Choosing the Sex of Your Baby Essays Choosing the Sex of Your Baby Essay Choosing the Sex of Your Baby Essay Essay Topic: Shane Choosing the Sex of Your Baby Dr. Aaron Miller English Composition 115 Shanelle Gayden â€Å"Choosing the Sex of Your Baby† is a great article that I just read for English 115. This article cross examines the issues that would come along with choosing the sex of your baby. Choosing the sex of your baby is a topic many couples discuss. This article discusses biomedical science, the parental view, and the society’s view. The American Society has just endorsed in vitro fertilization techniques to help parents determine the sex of their child. This issue is argued and raises ethical concerns. One of the main concerns is parents will possibly want to change other genetics such as eye color. The arguments raised from choosing the sex of your baby are parents would prefer a certain gender order and force gender discrimination. Parents plead that they should have maximum freedom to choose reproductive matters and it causes no harm. Parents believe that it is fair to choose the sex of the second child. Choosing the gender will be a very costly procedure. Cost will play a major role in who would actually be able to take advantage of this procedure. The society is amongst competitive pressures in the fertility industry. The methods that would be used raises concern. This issue remains complex because it involves discarding embryos based on the sex. Gender discrimination is also a factor. Society stands in a neutral position with the outlook of the scientific and parental view. Choosing the sex of your child leads to issues that will affect the society. To determine ones sex through science, while creating the perfect family according to gender. It is clearly not an overnight decision. Although choosing the sex of your baby seems so simple, this clearly can lead to ethical concerns.

Top 10 part-time holiday jobs this season

Top 10 part-time holiday jobs this season ‘Tis the season†¦to think about whether you want a seasonal holiday job this year. If you wait until the Black Friday ads are out and Starbucks unveils its holiday coffee cup designs to start thinking about what you want to do for your seasonal holiday job, it’s likely too late. So we’ve got some of the best part-time holiday gigs this year, to help you seize those early opportunities to make extra cash this holiday season. But before you get started, there are a few checklist items you should have ready, so that you’re ready to apply for jobs as they come up- because seasonal hiring can move awfully fast.Get your resume application-ready. Have your interview outfit ready to go. For a seasonal job, this may be more casual than the traditional dark suit. Whatever outfit you choose, it should be neat (no loose threads or weird hems), cleaned, and ready to go at a moment’s notice.Get in the right mindset. Holiday jobs are likely to demand your time during unconventional or inconvenient shifts. Make sure your mental expectations are aligned with a potentially hectic schedule that doesn’t leave you with a lot of free time or holiday down time.Let’s look at some of the top opportunities this holiday season, from the classic (retail) to less orthodox jobs you may not have considered.Retail Sales AssociateWhen you think of â€Å"seasonal part-time job,† you probably think of a role in a busy retail store, helping keep shelves stocked while hordes of holiday shoppers come through looking for the perfect gift. And that’s because it’s a perennial opportunity for people looking for temporary work over the holidays. You don’t need to commit to retail as a career for this kind of job, but it can also be a great experience-builder if you want to seek more retail opportunities in the future. This tends to be an â€Å"all hands on deck† kind of job. You may be tasked with assisting customers on the floor, completing sales as a cashier, or working behind the scenes with inventory, merchandising, and stocking- whatever needs doing to accommodate the holiday crowds. If this is the route you want to take, start with the big retailers (Target, WalMart, Kohl’s, etc.), but don’t be afraid to look at every store in your area and see if they have any â€Å"help wanted† notices popping up either in store or online.What you’ll need: A good retail resume, strong customer service skills to deal with every kind of customer imaginable, and time management skills. You may also be asked to work long or odd shifts throughout the holidays, so flexibility is key.Snow Removal Drivers/WorkersWe may still be firmly in autumn mode right now, but as the Starks tell us, winter is indeed coming. Many private snow removal companies and towns/cities are already looking ahead to the snowy season, hiring part-time and seasonal help to prepare for the winter’s storm s. This is less of an option if you live in, say, Florida, but if you live in an area that sees its share of snow and ice over the winter months, it can be a good option.What you’ll need: A valid driver’s license and the ability to handle heavy equipment like plows, sanding trucks, and sidewalk snow removal tools.Christmas Tree WorkersThe holiday season means Christmas tree sales, either at dedicated tree farms/garden centers, or big box stores that also sell trees (think Home Depot or Lowe’s). From Thanksgiving to Christmas, these employees help meet the influx of customers, selling and preparing trees for travel home, as well as selling and stocking other seasonal plants.What you’ll need: The ability to lift heavy objects, stand for long shifts, and work outdoors in varying conditions.Seasonal ActorsAnother classic seasonal job is playing Santa (if you’ve got the girth and the lap- beard is usually provided for you), or his entourage (think elves and Mrs. Claus). This job has been a mainstay of malls and department stores for decades and usually runs from Thanksgiving-ish through to Christmas. But Christmas actors aren’t the only ones who are needed on a seasonal basis- if you look early enough (say, September), there are also a lot of Halloween-themed jobs available, working in haunted houses or amusement parks as scary extras.What you’ll need: Acting skills, people skills, and customer service skills.Seasonal PhotographersAll the Santas and the elves come with a very important seasonal role: the photographer. Individual stores, malls, and events hire photographers every year to capture the holiday merriment for posterity. Seasonal photographers and assistants are responsible for taking photographs, taking orders, and potentially developing/editing photos as well.What you’ll need: Portrait photography skills, photo editing skills, organizational skills (after all, no one wants mistakenly sent pictures of some other family’s kid sitting on Santa’s lap), customer service skills, and problem solving skills, because camera snafus while there’s a long line of people waiting to see Santa can be problematic. It also can’t hurt if you have a knack for getting toddlers to smile at just the right time for a lasting photo.Election WorkersThis is one of the more unusual ones on the list, in that you may not think of it as a â€Å"seasonal† job. But the fact is that every November there’s some kind of election going on in your town or district, and staff is needed to manage the voting process, check in voters, and ensure that election laws and best practices are being followed. Many polling places rely on volunteers, but some towns and cities hire poll workers to manage the crowds and ensure smooth voting and accurate reporting.What you’ll need: Strong organizational skills, and a solid sense of civic duty.Warehouse WorkerBehind the retail scen es, there are thousands of warehouse workers needed to make sure that goods are getting where they need to go throughout the holiday season, whether that’s store shelves or customer orders shipped directly. Companies like Amazon in particular bulk up its warehouse staff during the holiday season, in anticipation of keeping operations running at peak volume around the clock. Other top employers in this area include shipping companies like FedEx or UPS, which keep packages moving at a high volume to accommodate tight shipping deadlines and incredibly high demand.What you’ll need: The stamina to work while standing for long periods of time, as well as the ability to lift heavy objects. These jobs may also involve the use of heavy equipment to move freight.Delivery DriverWarehouses aren’t the only logistics centers that need extra help during the holidays. Companies typically hire extra drivers for the season, to accommodate the higher volume of packages going in an d out.What you’ll need: A valid driver’s license (and possibly a Commercial Driver’s License as well), a clean driving record, and excellent navigation and time management skills.Customer Service AssociateCustomer service is another major area where companies need extra help during the holiday season (and slightly beyond, to accommodate post-holiday issues with gifts). These seasonal employees may work on site or remotely via phone or internet chat to answer questions, help customers troubleshoot issues, and escalate as necessary. Customer service can be a round-the-clock proposition, so you can likely expect overnight, weekend, or holiday shifts.What you’ll need: A solid customer service resume. You’ll need customer service skills first and foremost, as well as tech skills like handling multi-line phones, recordkeeping software, and internet chat programs. You’ll also need strong problem-solving skills, as much of your time may be spent hel ping to diagnose and resolve problems for customers.Tax AssociateNo one really likes to think about the looming tax season while in holiday mode, but after the new year has passed and life goes back to normal, seasonal tax associates are in high demand. Tax preparation companies hire temporary employees to accommodate the demand from January through April. If you have a background in financial math and familiarity with the U.S. tax system, this can be a good gig for you in the post-holiday season.What you’ll need: Strong math and accounting skills, a bachelor’s degree in a related field, and familiarity with tax preparation software.If you’re looking for a part-time seasonal gig, you have lots of opportunities to match your skill set, interests, and availability. The retail-facing jobs are perennial favorites for a reason (consistency, plenty of jobs available), but if retail isn’t your thing, there are lot of other options.

Unethical Business Research Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unethical Business Research Practice - Essay Example Unethical Business Research Practice The application of moral and ethical principles sin business is vital for organizational success. Background to the Trovan Case In 1996, Nigeria encountered an outbreak of Cerebral Spinal meningitis, the worst public health crisis that the country has ever faced (Edwards par 1). During the crisis, 1500 people succumbed to the disease. A number of non-governmental organizations including Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reached out to the people in need faced (Gupta par 1). The organization treated well over 11500 infected individuals. A few weeks following the outbreak, Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, sent its employees to conduct clinical trials with its newly developed brand of antibiotics Trovafloxacin (Trovan ®). Pfizer’s intention seemingly was upright. It sought to provide Nigeria with a life saving, cheap, innovative and less painful antibiotic to counter the dreadful disease. The company stated that the medicine could effectively treat mening ococcal meningitis in adults and children. The company engaged a sample of the affected population in a study, featuring about 200 children (Gupta par 2). During the study 50% of the children sampled were treated with Trovafloxacin while the rest were treated with Ceftriaxon, the ‘best practice medication’. The study saw the death of 11 children, members of the study group. Several others suffered physical and mental disorders in the course of or after receiving treatment. What Unethical Research Behavior was involved? Pfizer in seeking to find a solution to the problem facing Nigeria, failed to observe crucial research requirements. For one, the organization did not pay attention to the issue of informed consent. The company involved a sample of children in the study without having their parents or guardians consent to their research activities. This for a fact goes against ethical standards when carrying out studies that involve children or people who are mentally ret arded. Who Were the Injured Parties? In the Trovan case, the injured persons were the children who were subjected to the clinical trials without parental (and guardian) consent. All the children who were included in the study, in this respect suffered injury although those who received the â€Å"best practice† medicine may not have suffered physically or mentally. Effects of the Unethical Behavior on the Organization, the Individual, and Society As previously noted, the Pfizer study resulted in the death of 11 children. Many other children suffered physical and mental disorders following the study. Parents and relatives to the children suffered great loss having lost their loved ones. Others possibly incurred more medical costs and suffered psychologically from the results of the study. Pfizer as a company on the other hand has suffered loss in respect of the litigation. The Nigerian government launched a suit against Pfizer claiming a total of seven billion US dollars (Edwar ds par 1). This amount is demanded in compensation for the victims and their relatives. The company is bound to lose a lot of cash after the case, pending in court to-date, is concluded. Yet again, the company’s reputation was negatively affected with many customers losing favour with the company. In fact, the drug has been banned in Europe and is restrictively used in North America. How Could the Unethical Behavior be Avoided or Resolved? The damage caused to the children and their relatives related mainly to lack of informed conse

Dual-Court System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dual-Court System - Research Paper Example State courts reserve the authority to hear criminal and civil cases related to state constitutional issues and laws (Neubaeur & Fradella, 2010). In various respects, the dual court system structure was designed to offer a certain degree of independence to local governments, and at the same time ensuring proper judicial checks and balance. Dividing-up administrative roles of justice and giving a number of responsibilities to the states is often regarded as both competent and a reflection of varied citizens’ diverse needs. Preserving an overarching federal system in the dual court system ensures that no single state legislates in excess of the standards required by the federal system (Neubaeur & Fradella, 2010). The constitution gives some supremacy to the federal government and set aside the rest for the states. State and federal governments both need their court system to interpret and apply the laws. The dual court system enables the two to spell out the control of their resp ective court systems. Court unification refers to the degree to which state and federal judicial systems in the United States establish one level of appellate and trial courts controlled from the top by a single individual or institution. The drive towards unification of the courts would not lead to a monolithic court system. This is for the reason that this would give the Federal court system excessive control while state legislative would make sound decisions on the matters concerning people’s needs and local affairs. The system is too complex and such a move will not result into a lasting solution. The state legislature performs better when making right decisions concerning local affairs (Cole &Smith, 2006). Further, courts are an important feature of the criminal justice system. It is logical to sustain separate systems inclusive of the court, corrections, and the police, locally at the state and federal levels depending on the circumstances. If there were solely one corr ectional organization and massive police force dealing with a monolithic court system, there will be minimal effectiveness (Cole & Clear, 2010). All criminal activity needs the presence of a judge and ruling after a person has been arrested. For this reason, it is far more effectual for each of the numerous locations in the entire nation to have a municipal court system. Judges have specified sentencing guidelines and philosophical rationales when presenting a judgment over presented facts. They include just deserts, that is, denunciation and retribution; incapacitation, restitution, rehabilitation, and deterrence (Rossi & Berk, 1997). If I were a judge, my sentencing goals and philosophical rationale would base on just deserts. This is for the reason that just deserts rationale imposes sentences and the amount of this sentence is established by the offense itself rather than any other reason, particularly not the offences to be made in future. Further, just deserts rationale and se ntencing goal simply justifies a sentence on the basis that wrongdoing deserves punishment that is equivalent to the wrongdoing. Basing on the fact, just deserts uses punishment for illegal behavior, the focus is on the offender himself; for the guilty alone, and only for the offence. I would choose on this approach because it covers both a retributive component if that